Heretics Anonymous

Heretics Anonymous by Katie Henry is a book narrated by Michael, who is an atheist, enrolling into a Catholic school by his parents. Throughout Michael’s life, his dad’s job has been forcing the family all over the U.S. At St. Clare’s, he meets a group of outcasts who form the group Heretics Anonymous (HA). Michael convinces the group to rebel against the school by exposing its hypocrisy. At some point in the novel, relationships are tested when Michael takes one exploit too far. The book sends a great message to the audience. One theme of the book is tolerance. The HA consist of different people: Avi, Lucy, Max, Eden, and Michael. Avi is Jewish and gay. Lucy is a straightforward feminist. Max defies society norms by wearing whatever he wants–like capes. Eden practices paganism. Michael believes in no God. These five all have one thing in common: they do not fit in at St. Clare’s. Although they are all distinct from each other, none of them try to change each other. None of them push their beliefs on each other, they peacefully coexist. The issue of tolerance is an important topic in today’s society and this book does an excellent job at demonstrating how people should get along despite their differences.Along with the theme of tolerance, another aspect I loved: the humor. Michael’s narrations were hilarious. With his sarcasm, I found myself laughing every other page. His humor made the book stand out from the other books I have read recently. While Michael is a funny character, he has character flaws. Despite these flaws, he is still an enjoyable character. All of the characters have their issues at home and with society, and as the story unfolds you see their issues and how they deal with them. I highly recommend this book because it sends a great message and it is humorous. It is an enjoyable read that is realistic. Although it is amusing, the book tackles real issues in a serious manner. No matter what type of person the reader is, I think that many people would benefit from this book and enjoy it. —-Teen Blogger, Abby

You can find this novel in the Young Adult Fiction section under YA HENRY